The present invention relates to improvements in luggage, and particularly to an article for use with soft-sided luggage.
Because of the increasing cost of manufacturing conventional hard-sided luggage, many suitcases of recent manufacture comprise a simple frame covered with a pliable material. Conventional hard-sided luggage usually has a large main body to which a hard lid is attached by hinges, and various pockets, dividers, and compartments are usually provided to permit safe storage of clothing, toilet articles, shoes, and the like. Clothing is fastened in place to prevent its becoming wrinkled or soiled by uncontrolled movement within the luggage.
The modern soft-sided luggage, however, comprises a single interior storage cavity for containing all sorts of articles. There is usually no provision for securely holding items such as skirts or trousers, nor for securing clothes hangers within the single large compartment of such luggage. It is left to the user to secure articles within the case. This is often accomplished by packing the luggage so tightly full that the pressure of articles against one another holds them in place within the suitcase.
However, modern soft-sided luggage normally has no hinge-mounted lid, but instead has only a soft side which may be normally closed by means of slide fasteners, but flexibly opens to allow packing and unpacking. There is usually no provision for securely holding items such as skirts or trousers, nor for securing clothes hangers within the single large compartment of such luggage.
The problem of the clothes moving within the suitcase can be overcome if the suitcase is packed by placing folded clothing articles into the bottom of the open suitcase so that they are flat against the side of the suitcase which is permanently closed. Small, irregularly-shaped objects are then placed within the suitcase last, atop the folded clothing and in unfilled corner spaces. In this manner, if the suitcase is packed full enough, the folded clothing is retained in position against the closed side of the suitcase and is protected to some extent from becoming wrinkled. However, the problem of nonclothes items soiling the clothing items remains. Additionally, before the clothing may be removed from such a suitcase the smaller and irregularly-shaped articles must be removed from atop the folded clothing, which is an inconvenience.
What is needed, then, is an inexpensive article of luggage which conveniently protects clothing packed within a soft-sided suitcase, and yet allows easy access to either folded clothing or small and irregularly-shaped articles packed within such a soft-sided suitcase.